Burglar Roger Buckingham has been jailed for the murder of street cleaner Piotr Mikiewicz.

A BURGLAR who fatally stabbed street cleaner Piotr Mikiewicz as he fled the scene of his raid, has today been convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

‘Cowardly’ Roger Buckingham, 30, of Bentworth Road, Shepherd’s Bush, knifed Mr Mikiewicz when the Polish cleaner, a married father, apprehended him after he had broken into a house belonging to lawyer Richard Cassell in Rylett Road in August last year.

The criminal had insisted his crime had been a ‘terrible mistake’ as he tried to ‘protect himself’ from Mr Mikiewicz but, after a week-long trial at the Old Bailey, his defence was dismissed. He faces a minimum of 27 years in jail.

Judge Brian Barker accepted the murder was not pre-meditated but he called the death of Mr Mikiewicz, who worked out of a depot on behalf of the council in Bagley’s Lane, Fulham, a ‘shocking waste of life’ and praised his ‘sense of civic duty’.

He said: “This was not a planned killing, but was done in frustration and in temper. In any view, it was cowardly and selfish. I am prepared to accept the intention was not to kill, but it is a shocking waste of life and the removal of a loyal and hardworking man.

“Mr Mikiewicz was a brave man who went beyond the call of duty, ignoring his own safety and paid for his actions with his life. He was a truly exceptional man and has left a void which cannot be filled.

“His wife and daughter and many friends and residents of those roads are still struggling to understand their loss and the fact that man is gone forever. The fact is, those were terrible acts and you must take responsibility for what happened on that afternoon.”

Buckingham showed no emotion as he was sentenced.

The court had earlier heard the cleaner had entered into a ‘cat-and-mouse’ game to apprehend Buckingham, using his broomstick to try and stop him getting away.

Buckingham had used a crowbar to get into the property through an outhouse before taking a knife from the kitchen and a Dell computer from an upstairs bedroom.

Mr Mikiewicz was working outside when he spotted Buckingham trying to escape.

Aftab Jafferjee, prosecuting, said: “That man, armed only with his dustcart and broom, took this defendant on, striking him in order to apprehend him and prevent him leaving with the fruits of his crime.”

Mr Mikiewicz was undeterred when Buckingham produced the knife and continued to strike him with his broom but it was then he was stabbed.